In the field of solar energy, various apparatus and methods have been proposed to utilize the sun's radiant energy as a heat source. Apparatus by which the sun's energy may be utilized may be combined into systems having other heating sources, such as heat pumps of known per se design. Apparatus of that type may also be utilized as a means for cooling, as by discontinuing the heating phase of the solar energy constituent while utilizing the heat pump component in "reverse" operation as a heat dissipator. In this connection, reference is made to U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,030,312, and 4,012,920. Well-water, river water, or the like, may be used as a primary source for both the heating and the cooling phases of a heat-pump component of a temperature modifying apparatus. In this connection, reference is made to U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,028,735 and 3,036,441. Ground water may also be used as a means to supply the heat source or heat discharge medium to a heat pump (according to whether heating or cooling respectively are desired), to heat or to cool water in a storage tank that is also supplied by solar heating sources. In this connection, reference is made to the July, 1976 issue of the publication Airconditioning and Refigeration Business, and the article therein "Giant Housing Project - Water Source Heat Pumps Make Solar Practical", (Penton/IPC Inc.)
Prior art apparatus, however, do not make it possible to achieve the economics, lower investment costs, and efficiencies which are obtainable with apparatus in accordance with the present invention, because the present invention uniquely provides apparatus and methods by which a variety of operational modes may be effectuated.